A Dark Winter's Nightmare
by ImAmzAMonster
Summary: AU. Anna is the new nurse at a Psychiatric Center, She doesn't quite know what she's getting into until she meets the resident trouble maker. Multiple Disney character cameos. All characters belong to Disney. I do not own anything from the Disney Franchise.
1. First Day

_**"Have you ever confused a dream with life? Or stolen something when you have the cash? Have you ever been blue? Or thought your train was moving while sitting still? Maybe I was just crazy. Maybe it was the '60's. Or maybe I was just a girl... interrupted."**_

**The Walter Elias Psychiatric Center**

It was a quiet day for the ever busy institution. Patients were calm and cooperative and the staff was milling about. Things were going well, that is until a young redheaded girl made her way through the front door. The red head being there wasn't necessarily the problem, it was the young man she was arguing with.

"Look, I told you already. I'm SUPPOSED to be here, I have clearance and everything!"

The young man scoffed. "Yeah right, you're just a kid. No way you work here."

The girl puffed her cheeks out in anger. He really was infuriating. She had the I.D. Badge and she had the uniform, she clearly came to work. Before she could start up with the stubborn boy, the pair was halted.

A tall, slender woman with white blonde hair approached them and placed a hand on each of their shoulders.

"Whoa, whoa what seems to be the problem Mr. Hawkins?"

He jabbed a menacing finger in the girl's direction. "This kid says she works here. I've never seen her and she looks way too young.

The older woman let out a light chuckle before patting him on the shoulder. "I'm afraid she's right Jim, she does work here. This is Anna, our new night shift nurse."

Jim held up a finger to protest, but was at a loss for words. He casted Anna a sideways glance just in time to see her sticking out her tongue at him.

"I told you so."

He flagged her off and decided to go about his day. After Jim's departure the older woman turned her complete attention to Anna. Feeling eyes on her, the young woman looked up at her temporary savior.

The older woman gave her a smile. "Don't mind Jim. He's our groundskeeper, and he's a little leery of outsiders. Please don't take it personally Ms. Andersen."

"No offense taken, I get that a lot. Not to say that people mistake me for an intruder or anything. I'm definitely NOT an intruder, I really do work here. Wait, you already knew that, you vouched for me. I must be really nervous now, because I'm rambling aren't I?"

The blonde woman let out a small chuckle. "It's quite alright to be nervous. A bit of the first day jitters never hurt anyone."

Anna let out a sigh of relief. "Ok, good."

"My name is Mirage. I'm the head nurse here at the Center and I'll be showing you around today."

Mirage extended her hand to Anna who quickly shook it in return.

"I'll show you where to put your personal belongings then we'll take you on a tour around the facility. I'll introduce you to some of the other staff, more so the ones you'll be working with and possibly a few of the doctors if they're available. I'm sure we'll run into a few of the residents as well, it'll help you get to know who's who and what's what around here. So, are you ready?"

Anna nodded eagerly. Mirage turned on her heel and began to walk down the hall with Anna on her heels. The walk down the hall was a short one. The two women arrived at the Nurse's kitchen. Mirage showed Anna to her locker and gave her a quick rundown of the kitchen etiquette. Once Anna's things were secured and squared away, they began their walk-through of the center.

As they walked Anna noticed that the Center was overall a well kempt facility, clean white walls, polished white tile floors and immaculate white doors on every passageway. It was perfect…but eerily so. She brushed off that feeling as Mirage came to a complete stop and turned to face her.

"This is the living room. This is where the residents come to spend their free time. They can watch T.V., listen to radio or play games…board games or card games specifically. Mostly everyone uses it, except for some of our more…antisocial residents. Let's continue shall we?"

Giving a quick nod of agreement, the pair was off again. Mirage decided to shoot off information as they walked instead of coming to complete stops. They passed a small homely looking area that appeared to be stuck in the 50's.

Mirage jabbed her thumb in the direction of the room. "That's the family room. Hardly anyone ever uses it. Families typically meet residents and walk the grounds or retire to the resident's room."

Next on the tour was the exercise room. A small yoga class was taking place at the moment. Anna glanced in out of curiosity. Mirage noticed the action.

"The exercise room. Resident's aren't allowed in it unless a nurse is present or the designated instructor. The last place is the game room. Same rules as the exercise room, however it's only open on Tuesdays and Thursdays, no exceptions. Clear?"

The redhead smiled brightly. "Crystal."

Mirage returned the smile with a small one of her own. "Alright, so there are 5 floors to the center. The one we're on now is the second floor. " Mirage pointed to the floor. "Beneath us is the basement, which I would not recommend going to unless you absolutely must. The third floor is the doctor's offices, and the fourth is the cellar, mostly used for storage."

Mirage turned to continue their walk, when Anna halted her.

"Um, if I may ask, what's in the basement? Not that I don't respect the rules or anything or trust your judgment, because I totally do. I just get really curious sometimes, but if its confidential or secret or something, I completely understand. It's just, you always hear a lot of weird things about behavioral institutions and basements and –"

Mirage cut her off and gently grabbed her by the shoulders. "Whoa, relax."

Anna took a deep breath. It was Mirage's turn to chuckle.

"The basement is just old and decrepit. It's falling apart. It's in the process of being restored, but for now, it's just a great liability. That's all, no weird ghost stories or anything. Sorry to burst your bubble."

Anna gave Mirage a sheepish grin. "I understand. Sorry about the rambling. I do that sometimes…like a lot."

"No need to apologize. It's refreshing. Now there are a few more things I'd like to show you before I take you to your station, so if –"

Mirage stopped mid-sentence when a blonde young man seemed to run up to them out of nowhere. He seemed to be in his early twenties, very clean cut looking as well. The young man began to whisper to Mirage incredibly fast, almost inaudibly. Mirage had to calm him to slow down.

"Dashiell, please slow down you know it's impossible to understand you when you're frantic. Now can you repeat what you were trying to say?"

Dashiell took a breath and looked Mirage straight in the eyes. "She's back."

"You're not serious?" Asked the older blonde, eyes wide with undefined emotion.

He nodded to confirm her suspicions. Mirage looked at Anna, then back to Dashiell. She placed her hand on Anna's shoulder. "I have something I have to tend to Ms. Andersen, if you don't mind."

With that being said, Mirage rushed off back down the hall. All Anna could do was watch as her superior took off. Dashiell watched as well before taking a quick glance at Anna. After a double take, he tried to quickly clean up his disheveled appearance. He smoothed back his hair, leaned against the wall and cleared his throat. Gaining Anna's attention, she looked at him as he stood propped up against the wall.

"Hey, I'm Dashiell, but everyone calls me Dash." He shot her an award winning smile.

She scoffed. "I'm Anna, but everyone calls me not interested."

That being said, Anna decided to run after her boss and see what all the fuss is about.


	2. Trouble on The Horizon

**Walter Elias Psychiatric Center: Foyer **

Anna rushed down the hall and stopped when she was close to the foyer. She stood back as she looked on. Mirage was waiting by the front door, next to her was another woman. The woman stood slightly taller than Mirage, she had red hair cut short and bright greenish-yellow eyes. Mirage's expression was that of someone who was both concerned and slightly annoyed.

"How long has it been this time Mirage?"

"A month if I remember correctly." Came the tired reply. "What do you suggest this time Amelia?"

The taller woman moved to speak, but was cut off by the sounds of the door opening.

Anna looked on in curiosity as a young woman walks through the front doors, escorted by a pair of police officers. The girl walked over to Mirage as Amelia stepped over to the officers. Shaking both of their hands, Amelia thanked them.

"Officer Wynchel, Duncan. Thank you for your service and for returning the girl to us."

The duo simply tipped their hats before turning to leave.

"Enjoying the show?"

Anna jumped from her hiding spot, turning to face the cause of her surprise. She was standing next to Dash, who was leaning against the wall behind her. "Where did you come from?"

Pointing behind himself, Dash responded. "From down the hall, duh. You know, you probably shouldn't be spying."

The redhead took a quick glance back at the situation then turned back to the young orderly. "I'm not spying…I'm…observing." Just as she finished her sentence she heard shouting coming from the foyer. Anna turned her full attention to the main entrance, only to see Dash trying to calm down Amelia and Mirage.

Shocked, the young nurse couldn't help but wonder. "How did he…wasn't he?"

Anna was pulled out of her thoughts as she realized the ever confident orderly wasn't fairing very well. Feeling the urge to help, she rushed to his side. The young nurse moved in front of mirage, ushering her back. Dash preoccupied himself with Amelia and getting her under control.

"She keeps running away on your watch! You're responsible for the residents, it's your job! It's what we pay you for!" snapped the older redhead.

Mirage pressed forward, still being stifled by Anna. "I do my job just fine warden!" Her words dripping with venom. "Maybe if you hired half way decent doctors, we wouldn't have so many trouble residents on our hands!"

A low growl escaped Amelia's lips as she took a step forward. Dash maintained his position in front of his irate boss. The warden looked down at the boy serving as her temporary roadblock. She was greeted by a pair of pleading blue eyes. A loud sigh escaped her as she took a step back.

Sensing the tension dropping, Anna stepped aside. The blonde straightened out her appearance then glanced at the younger employees.

"Dash…"

The blonde orderly turned to face his other boss. "Yes ma'am?" he asked.

"Can you and Ms. Andersen please escort Elsa to her room?"

Dash nodded. He tapped Anna on the arm, signaling her to follow him. Throughout the entire ordeal, Anna failed to notice the girl with the white blonde hair standing off to the side. Dash walked over to the girl and motioned for her to follow as well. The trio walked off, leaving the older women to one another.

* * *

**Resident's Wing**

The walk was relatively quiet. The only sounds heard were the faint murmurs of other residents and shoes squeaking against the linoleum floor. Anna was very curious about the girl in her presence. More so she was curious as to what she'd done to elicit such a reaction from two seemingly dignified professional women. Her brow furrowed as she thought further on the matter.

Sensing her brooding mood, Dash decided to speak up. "Hey, don't look into it too much."

"Hm?" she questioned, pulled from her thoughts.

"What happened back there with the warden, don't think on it so much. It happens sometimes."

Anna nodded, showing she understood. The trio halted in front of a white wooden door. Dash pulled out a ring of keys and began sorting through them. Once securing the correct key, he unlocked the door and pushed the door open with his foot.

"Alright Elsa, here you go. You know the drill."

Elsa silently walked into the room. Dash turned his attention to Anna.

"Well nurse?"

Anna was startled. "Well what?"

"Female nurse, return runaway female resident. A full body search is mandatory."

The young nurse blushed harshly and peered at the darkened room.

_Do I really have to search her?_

She took a deep breath and stepped into the room. Dash shut the door and laughed lightly to himself.


	3. New Faces & Old Wounds

**A/N: Hey peeps! So I just realized I'm three chapters in and I've not said a word to any of you! As you can see, I'm trying to throw in a lot of elements to keep you all interested. Please, if there's something or someone you'd like to see in the story feel free to let me know. I have a pretty general idea where I'm going with this, not sure how many chapters I'm aiming for though. I know I plan to do at minimum, 20 chapters. So sit back, enjoy the ride and voice yourselves! It helps! **

**Oh, I know my screen name is "ImAmzAMonster", but call me kip! Or kippy. Whichever you like.**

**Thanks for reading!**

* * *

**Resident's Wing**

Mirage marched down the hall, searching for her young employees. The small altercation with Amelia had left her nerves shot. That woman could be utterly infuriating sometimes. Albeit, a fair and sensible woman, she was simply bullheaded. No one in the facility got under her skin like Amelia did.

The blonde nurse was pulled from her thoughts as she rounded a corner and spotted Dash. Wait…is he alone? Where's Anna…where's Elsa? Oh no, he didn't…he wouldn't. That boy is such a pain, more hassle than he's worth.

Dash had his back to Mirage and his ear pressed against the wooden door. With the finesse of a house cat, Mirage stalked over to him and tapped him on the shoulder. Startled, he quickly zipped to the other side of the door and turned around. He saw Mirage standing there, glaring daggers at him.

"Please tell me you didn't send Anna in there with her…Alone."

The fair-haired orderly began fiddling with his fingers and gave the older woman a nervous smile. Mirage scoffed and hastily pushed her way into the room. She wasn't sure what she expected to see, but the sight before her certainly wasn't it…

* * *

**Elsa's Room**

(Minutes Ago)

Anna stepped into the resident bedroom. It was dark…dark and cold. She noted that she could faintly see her breath. A chill overcame her, causing her to shake slightly. Then a small laugh came from across the room.

Turquoise colored eyes searched the dark room for the source of the laughter. Suddenly, sunlight spilled into the room as the blinds were hoisted up.

"I leave for a little while; they cut the heat and cast the room in eternal darkness. How quaint."

Anna stood quietly as the pale young woman reacquainted herself. Now that she had light, Anna could see that the room only had one occupant and it was Elsa. Her natural curiosity started to show as she looked around the room. There were no pictures of family or anything to give the room a personal feel. It was as if the room was vacant, waiting for someone to move in.

"So, Red… you're new around here aren't you?"

The question garnered Elsa all of Anna's attention. Elsa walked towards the red headed nurse and stopped. Anna stood there, staring at the girl before her. The blonde looked like she was the same age as her, probably a few years her senior if anything. Anna was about to fall back into deep thought when her companion grabbed her attention again.

Waving her hand in front of the nurse, Elsa spoke. "Hello? Earth to Red. Is anyone in there?"

"Yes…it's Anna, I'm Anna. Nurse Anna or Nurse Andersen, it doesn't really matter I guess, I answer to either one." The redhead stammered.

Elsa stared at the woman before her. She seemed…odd, not in a bad way, but in an interesting one.

"I can't believe the blonde blunder actually sent you in here. He knows better than that."

Anna seemed to shrink into herself. "What do you mean?"

The blonde went over to the bed and flopped down on it. Kicking off her shoes and resting her head against the small flat pillow. "No one is allowed to search me. Well, no one other than Mirage."

The nurse paled. Was that really a rule and did Dash send her in there knowing said rule? It was her first day and she was already making enemies so to speak. She'd have to remember to get him back for this.

Seeing the redhead go pale, Elsa decided to cut her a break. "Don't worry about it Red. The cavalry will be here in three, two…"

The wooden door swung open with a slight force and Mirage stepped into the room.

Elsa smirked. "One."

Mirage looked back and forth between her newest employee and the returned runaway. The blonde girl had a notorious reputation for getting into altercations with anyone who tried to touch her. For some reason, unbeknownst to her, Mirage was the only nurse that the girl would allow to do the searches. Yes, she ran away that frequent.

"Is everything…alright, Ms. Andersen?" Came the uncertain question.

Anna smiled brightly at her boss. "Of course it is."

The older blonde let go a breath she was unaware she was holding in. Anna was ok and Elsa was…behaving?

"Well then, you're free to go Ms. Andersen or you can have Dashiell show you around more of the facility. You can start your shift tomorrow evening."

Anna nodded before turning towards the door.

Elsa spoke out from her spot on the bed. "See you around Red."

The young nurse paused momentarily, looking back at the blonde resident then at her boss. With that, Anna left the room, closing the door behind her.

* * *

**Resident's Wing**

The door shut on Anna's heels, the small click of the door letting her know it was indeed shut. She leaned against the door and let out a sizeable sigh. She felt slightly relieved, feeling as though she dodged a bullet by not searching the girl. Her boss had come right on time. That reminded her. "Dash."

"That's my name, don't wear it out…or do, you totally can."

The redhead jumped. _Where did he come from_?

Dash was leaning against the wall to her left, grinning up a storm. "So, how'd it go?"

"You knew I wasn't allowed to do her search, didn't you?" She asked, pointing a menacing finger at his chest.

He held up his hands in surrender. "Whaaat? No, I would never." Sarcasm extremely evident in his voice.

Anna crossed her arms and gave him a skeptical look. She could see through his weak façade, he was having fun at her expense.

Anna sighed. "You win this round, but this isn't over." She playfully punched him on the arm.

Dash laughed and rubbed his arm in mock pain. "Hey, I've gotta use that later. So, you want to see the rest of the center?"

"Sure, but not too long, I've get home before my boyfriend does."

With that being said, Anna was on her way down the hall. Dash visibly deflated at the statement. The redhead was a small ways ahead of him.

"A boyfriend….great."

Anna turned around mid-stride to face his direction. "Hey…just kidding!" She smiled brightly. Dash moved to run after her, but caught himself. Instead, he smoothly walked after her.

* * *

**Elsa's Room**

Once Anna had closed the door, the dark little room was tense. The two blondes locked eyes, neither of them willing to give in. Mirage remained by the door and Elsa was now sitting at the end of the bed. Green eyes glaring forcefully into icy blue ones. Mirage blinked.

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Mirage let out an exhausted sigh. "You know the routine, everything out of your pockets and onto the bed."

Elsa stood up and complied with the demand. She had nothing particularly harmful on her, a nail file probably being the most menacing thing. She emptied her pockets and flipped them inside out to prove she had nothing else on her. Satisfied, Mirage instructed her to move to the wall.

The younger blonde smirked and assumed the position. Her palms on the wall and feet planted firmly on the ground, she waited. Mirage began to pat her down, making sure she had nothing concealed on her. The nurse was not exactly gentle with her actions.

"I'm guessing you're mad, if your manhandling says anything."

Mirage finished patting down the younger girl and stepped back. "You're damn right I'm mad. You've been gone for a month, a MONTH, thirty days Elsa!"

"But I came back" she argued.

Mirage crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Not good enough. You will never get out of here if you keep this up. You claim you're not sick, that you're in control, but you run away and shut everyone out. You won't listen to the doctors, you won't listen to the warden and you don't listen to me!"

For a moment Elsa shrank into herself. "I'm trying."

"That's all anyone ever gets from you anymore. You aren't trying."

Elsa gritted her teeth. Mirage was pushing her and she knew it. She had to show her that she was in control of her emotions, in control of herself.

The younger blonde ran a hand through her hair, trying to calm herself. "I **AM** trying."

"Controlling yourself isn't the only problem, that's not what put you here. You know what everyone thinks of you outside the walls of the Center."

Elsa shut her eyes tightly, flashbacks painfully flickering through her mind. _No_.

Mirage heard faint crackling sounds. Eyes wide, she turned around and found the source of the noise. The glass was frosting over and it was starting to give into its weakened state.

"Elsa calm down" came the frantic plea.

Having heard the older woman's frightened request. Elsa's eyes snapped open. Her eyes darted around the room before settling on Mirage's face. Her face conveyed no fear; it gave up no traces of betrayal. Elsa backed up against the wall. Her eyes were wild.

Mirage reached out to take the girl by the shoulders, but Elsa backed away further.

"Don't!" she snapped.

The older blonde nodded, showing her understanding. Mirage decided to leave the room. Once outside, Mirage took a ring of keys out of her pocket and locked the white wooden door.

_She still needs time_.


	4. Homeward Bound Accidents

**A/N: I'm trying to update as much as I can. I know I don't like waiting for new chapters to be uploaded to my favorite fics. I can't guarantee I can update every day, but I will try to do it as frequently as possible. I apologize for the slow update, I've been a little under the weather, but I'm right as rain now (I really wanted to say that.) Also, does anyone recognize Amelia? Yes, No, Possibly? She was pretty badass in her movie and pretty funny at times. I'm rambling. Anyway, enjoy.**

* * *

**The Walter Elias Psychiatric Center**

**(New Day)**

The kitchen door swung open, Anna let out a loud sigh as she walked inside. It'd been a long tortuously slow night full of absolute nothingness. Nothing had happened all night. She hadn't expected anything crazy to happen…she didn't expect anything actually. A night full of routine checks, playing card games and reading was what she endured.

When sun rise came, she moved with a speed she never knew she possessed. After signing out on her shift she ran for the nurse's kitchen with her sights set on a hot cup of cocoa. Yes, cocoa. She had a weakness for the chocolaty drink, for all chocolate actually. So the plan was set, get in, get cocoa and get out… things did not go according to plan.

Anna walked into the kitchen and straight into another nurse. The second woman was tall, slender and had long auburn hair done up in a ponytail. She was stunning…and now covered in coffee.

"Great, guess this means I don't get my deposit back" she deadpanned flicking coffee remnants off of her hand.

The redhead went pale. "Oh my, I'm so sorry! I'm such a klutz, please let me get you something for that."

The slender woman held her hand out in protest. "Easy there kid, it's alright. Rule number one of this job, always have a spare uniform." She sat her cup down and went to was her hands.

Anna grabbed some paper towels to clean up the mess. She knelt down and began dabbing at the spill. When the other nurse turned around, she was surprised at the sight.

"Hey, don't worry about that. My coffee, my mess, let me get it."

The young redhead protested. "No, no I got it. I bumped into you; I should've been paying attention to where I was going." Anna continued to clean up the spill until it was gone. Once she finished, the older woman offered her a hand. She accepted it and was hoisted to her feet.

"I'm sorry about that again. I was rushing and being clumsy and –"

Anna was cut off. "Don't worry about it, really. It wouldn't be a normal day if something unfortunate didn't happen. Being doused by a stranger definitely constitutes as unfortunate. You must be the new girl everyone's been talking about."

The redhead blushed. Were people really talking about her? What were they saying? She could only imagine the things being said, probably talking about how clumsy she's been. Her thoughts were interrupted when the slender woman started to walk past her.

Anna rushed over to the woman. "Hey wait! I didn't get your name, I'm Anna."

The older woman looked down at the redhead. She noted that the girl was actually very cute, but at the moment she was in the way.

"The name's Megara…call me Meg. Now if you don't mind." Meg pointed to a locker behind the younger girl.

Anna quickly shuffled out of the way, allowing the curvy woman to access her locker. She removed the stained uniform she was wearing and retrieved her spare. "Thanks. So, short stack, are you heading home for the day?"

Anna nodded.

"Did you nod? If so I didn't see it."

Anna blushed. "Yeah, I just finished the night shift, which was painfully boring."

Meg slipped into her new uniform. "Yeah, the day shift is where all the excitement is." The locker door slammed shut and the auburn woman turned to her young counterpart. "The resident's get rowdy, they get emotional, chaos ensues, but whaddya gonna do right?"

"The resident's get rowdy? I find that hard to believe"

"You're new, and on the night shift. Give it some time short stack, you'll start to see some pretty interesting things around here." Meg declared.

"Interesting how?" Anna asked curiously. The auburn woman had no idea that she'd invoked the redhead's natural curiosity.

"Stick around for a while, and you'll see," she riposted.

Anna's shoulders slumped. She hated not having her questions answered. It seemed she'd simply have to wait to find out what the older woman was referring to. She noted that Meg was a bit snarky, but not unpleasant to be around.

Meg glanced at a clock on the wall. She was running late for her shift thanks to her run-in with the little redhead. At least it was only a few minutes, Mirage was strict but not unforgiving. The auburn woman decided not to press her luck. It was time to bid the girl farewell.

"Listen, I'd like to stick around and chat, honestly I would, but I've got to get going. I don't need mother hen on my case today," the slender woman stated.

Anna nodded to show she understood. "It was nice to meet you."

"Likewise short stack. It's been a real slice, see ya." With that, Meg was out the door.

Anna retrieved her belongings from her locker and decided to leave as well. She'd completely forgotten the initial reason for going to the kitchen in the first place.

* * *

**Anna's Apartment**

The sound of keys in the front door alerted the apartment's occupant that his roommate was back. Pushing the door open, the young redhead trekked inside. She was exhausted and just wanted to crawl into bed and forget the world. Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be.

As soon as she stepped into the apartment she was swept into a bear hug.

"Ah! Kristoff! Put me down!" she giggled.

Her request was granted and she was returned to her feet. Her roommate, Kristoff, a burly barrel-chested blonde was grinning up a storm.

"So, how was the first day?" He questioned.

"It was…boring, and long. Did I mention it was boring?" Anna riposted.

Kristoff chuckled. "Well what did you expect on your first shift?"

"I don't know, anything! My first day had been so interesting, and then last night…ugh."

"I'm sure it wasn't all that bad," declared the burly blonde.

Anna puffed her cheeks out to show her annoyance. It was so much easier to pretend to be annoyed to admit that the blonde was right. Kristoff ignored the expression and simply waited for a response. He knew sooner or later, the red head would tell him about her day. He was right.

"It wasn't that bad…like I said, just boring. Oh but I did run into another nurse today, literally"

"You ran into another nurse?" Kristoff inquired, raising an eyebrow.

Anna gave her roommate a sheepish grin. "Yeah, I was in such a rush to get hot cocoa and come home, that I ran into her when I walked into the kitchen. I ended up spilling her coffee on her uniform. She had a spare uniform and everything, but she had to change and that made her late for her shift, so she had to go."

Kristoff nodded to show he understood. He was quite used to Anna's rambling stints, he became accustomed to following along as she spoke. He understood that when she felt the need to explain her actions, she just shot them off, leaving no room for questioning.

"So, did this nurse have a name? Better yet, did you apologize for ruining her uniform?" The boy teased.

The redhead blushed fiercely. "Yes I apologized and yes she has a name!"

"Well? I'm waiting oh clumsy one." Kristoff folded his arms.

"Her name is Meg. Actually, it's Megara, but she said to call her Meg."

"Megara huh? Sounds interesting. You're just making friends all around aren't you? Pretty soon you won't even need little ol' me anymore." Kristoff couldn't help but taunt his friend. She made it all too easy in his opinion.

Anna smiled. She knew her roommate was joking, it's how he was.

"I'll always need you goofball. You're my best friend. Besides, without you, who would I come home and tell all my interesting stories to?"

"Well, there's always Olaf." The burly blonde jabbed a thumb over his shoulder. There was an all-white cat sitting on the windowsill across the room. The cat mewed, seemingly understanding that he was being mentioned.

Anna could only laugh. "Olaf is great for talking to, but he lacks in the responding category."

"You got me there." Kristoff conceded. "So, this Meg chick. Is she nice?"

"She seems nice. Actually she seems more sarcastic than anything, but not in a mean way." Anna answered.

"That's good…I guess." He stated.

Anna let out a slight yawn. She tried to stifle it with her sleeve, but to no avail. Her companion simply smiled.

"Perhaps you should go get some rest. You do have to go back to work tonight, and I think it's frowned upon for you to get caught sleeping during your first week."

Anna nodded, silently agreeing with him. She was exhausted. Ready to call it a night….er, morning, the redhead decided to head for her room. She did have to return in several hours. And who knows, maybe things would turn out to be more interesting this time. Anything could happen, right?


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: ****So, hopefully this chapter is a little more exciting for you guys. I really wanted to give the "resident's" a little more of an edge than the ones you'd expect to be in a psychiatric center. I mean this is "Dizney" right? Weird things are always possible…right? Enjoy guys. Feedback is appreciated if possible. If not, no worries. ~Namaste'~ Kip(py)**

* * *

**Walter Elias Psychiatric Center**

**Nurse's Station/Hallway**

The night shift found Anna once again, bored. She'd completed her rounds and as expected, everything was fine. All the rooms were locked and all the residents were asleep. To quell her boredom, the young nurse decided to pitch cards into an old hat she found. Oh the joys of being a nurse.

Anna took a moment to glance at the clock overhead. It was already past midnight. She had roughly seven hours to go until her relief would come. It was going to be a long night in her opinion. She let out a loud frustrated sigh…then she heard giggling.

"Hello?"

No answer. The giggling came again. Anna set her cards aside and peered out of the gate surrounding the nurse's station. The hallway was clear. Anna's brow furrowed as she sat back down. The giggles came again, louder.

Anna jumped up from the desk and rushed out of the station. She looked up and down the hallway. No one was there. She heard the giggling again and ran off to her left.

"Who's out here?" She called.

The lights were dim. The hallways were eerie. Anna wasn't deterred. She stopped to listen for more of the light laughter. Footsteps were heard instead.

"Gotcha," the redhead declared. She gave chase again.

She rounded a corner and was met with a dead end. The young nurse scratched her head in confusion. She could've sworn –

Her thoughts were interrupted.

"You're the new lady aren't you?"

Anna whipped around when she heard the question. There stood a young girl, in her early teens no doubt. She wore a mint green hoodie and a brown skirt over mismatched purple, green & white leggings. The young girl had inky black hair and was noticeably shorter than Anna.

"What's your name?" asked the younger girl.

Anna stood still. She was baffled.

The girl pressed further. "Hellooo?"

"Oh! I, uh, yes I'm the new lady…nurse, lady nurse." Anna took a quick breath. "I'm the new nurse, my name is Anna."

The pre-teen shoved her hands into her hoodie pocket and leaned against the wall. Anna slowly approached the girl, hoping to not scare her off.

"What's your name, and why're you out of bed so late." Asked the redhead.

The raven-haired girl shrugged as she responded, "I couldn't sleep, and my name is Vanellope."

"Well, Vanellope, I still have to get you back to bed. It's way past curfew and you can't walk the halls all night."

Anna stood next to the younger girl, slightly towering over her. The girl glanced up ay her. She had sparkling brown eyes that would make anyone fall under a spell. She looked like an innocent kid.

"I don't wanna go back to bed! C'mon, lets race! If you win, I'll go back to my room."

Before Anna could protest, the girl ran off. Ok, maybe she wasn't so innocent. Anna caught the girl rather quickly and easily. She grabbed her by the arm, but it was a short lived victory. Not even moments later, the girl disappeared from her grasp.

_What the_?

Anna looked down at her now empty hand. The girl was gone.

_How is that even possible_?

Confusion etched its way onto Anna's face.

"Sweet mother of monkey milk, I did it!"

The redhead looked up ahead. There standing was the young pre-teen looking at her hands.

"How'd you…," Anna cautiously stepped forward.

The sound of the nurse's footsteps drew the raven-haired girl out of her astonishment. Vanellope laughed as she turned around and made a run for it once again. The nurse didn't falter, and chased after the fleeing girl. She was going to be in so much trouble if she didn't get the girl under control. That kid is so busted.

Vanellope slid around a corner with precision that a baseball player would envy. Anna was quick on her heels. The young girl was laughing uncontrollably and it echoed through the halls.

"Come on, I know you're faster than that!" she taunted.

Anna puffed her cheeks out in annoyance. She was definitely going to start going to the gym with Kristoff. She was being bested by a child! Vanellope continued to laugh as she ran on.

"Vanellope! You've got to be quiet! You're gonna wake up the residents" pleaded the young nurse.

The plea went ignored as Vanellope shouted back a response. "What? I can't hear you!"

* * *

**Elsa's room**

Elsa shot up from her resting place. Blonde hair wild and shooting off in every direction. A sudden burst of god-forsaken laughter and noise pulled her out of what she considered a peaceful sleep. With her eyes still shut tightly, she groaned loudly in frustration.

_Whoever is responsible for this is going to pay._

The blonde girl cast her covers aside and got out of bed. _I don't have time for this shit_. She cursed mentally. Elsa made her way over to the bedroom door and tried to open it. It was locked. _Nice try genius._

"Come on, I know you're faster than that!" taunted a young girl's voice.

_Was that Vanellope_? The blonde asked herself.

Elsa dropped to her knees and tried to peer under the door.

"Vanellope! You've got to be quiet! You're gonna wake up the residents"

_That was Anna's voice_. Elsa conceded.

"No way that little glitch gets to run around while I'm stuck in here like a caged dog," the blonde muttered to herself.

Elsa watched as best she could underneath the door. All she could make out were feet. One pair of black boots, undoubtedly belonging to Vanellope and a pair of all white sneakers that had to belong to Anna. She waited until she could hear Vanellope giggling, signaling her return. _Fun time's over glitch_.

* * *

**Hallway**

Vanellope had been spending the better half of her night running rampant through the hallways. Anna continued to chase after her, but she'd slowed down considerably. The pre-teen ran around the corner again. Anna trailed slowly behind. Before she neared the corner, the heard a loud thud.

"Oof." Was all Vanellope could muster when she hit the linoleum floor at full force.

The raven-haired girl looked back at her feet. They were encased with ice. Suddenly, Vanellope found herself stuck to the floor, her feet were completely thawed. Her torso, was not so fortunate. She was stuck to the floor by a layer of ice. The young girl looked to her left and growled in annoyance when she recognized the door.

"Hey glitch. What'cha doing?" Elsa asked from the other side of the door.

"Nothing." Vanellope replied weakly.

"So why don't you go to your room and do nothing?"

"What gives Ice Queen? Lemme go!" snapped the pre-teen.

Elsa chuckled. "In a minute."

Anna rounded the corner and found Vanellope sprawled out on the floor. Great job Andersen. The red headed nurse rushed over to the girl and kneeled down beside her. The ice that bound her to the floor had dissipated.

"Hey, are you alright?" Anna asked.

Vanellope sat up, dusting herself off. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just a little _trip_ is all." She glanced at the door beside her. It went unnoticed by Anna.

"That's why you can't run around here at night. Come on, let's get you to bed."

The younger girl nodded as she climbed to her feet. Anna stood up as well. Vanellope was about to shove her hands into her hoodie pocket, but Anna halted that. The nurse had extended her hand out to the girl. The young resident looked at the offending extremity, and then up at Anna. Seeing no hint of danger or anger in the nurse's turquoise eyes, she took her hand into her own. The pair walked off down the hall in silence.

_Not the kind of excitement I was looking for, but I'll take it_. Anna thought to herself.

* * *

**Walter Elias Psychiatric Center**

**(Hours Later)**

The sun was barely up when Meg strolled into work. She wore a stoic expression on her face. It was too early for her to be at work, but bills had to get paid. She walked through the front doors and signed in as quickly as she could. Scribbling her name down on the sheet, she turned to walk off. She wasn't fast enough.

A grouchy, nasal voice pierced through the air. "Tavoularis!"

A wrinkly hand slammed down on the desk causing Meg to stop in her tracks. The auburn haired woman turned around to face the source of the voice summoning her. On the other side of the counter stood an elderly looking woman. The woman had gray-white hair that seemed to be styled in a pointy up-do and wore black horn-rimmed glasses. She stared at Meg, frowning.

"Roz, my you look…is that a new jacket? It looks fabulous, red is definitely **your **color."

"Can it," the elder woman commanded.

Meg flinched at the harshness of the woman's voice. Roz picked up a small stack of papers and slowly flipped through them.

"Megara Tavoularis…you didn't file your paperwork."

The slender woman offered up a sheepish grin.

"Whaddya know, uh…would you believe…," Meg searched the air for a reasonable excuse. "I left them in the kitchen? My locker to be exact. I must've tossed them in there.

Roz wasn't convinced.

"Uh-huh. Don't forget to file your paperwork." Croaked the old woman.

"Paperwork, got it." Meg saluted and walked off.

"I'm watching you…always watching," Roz drawled.

Meg mouthed the words as she walked off. Every time she ran into the old bat is was the same thing. How much paperwork did one person need?

* * *

**Nurse's Kitchen**

Meg practically glided into the kitchen and was floored by what she'd found. A lump of a blanket curled up in a chair by the corner. The lump, was none other than Anna. The redhead had her head propped up against the wall and her mouth hanging slightly open. She was practically dead to the world.

"I found her like that shortly after her shift ended."

The auburn-haired nurse looked around the room. Mirage seemingly appeared out of thin air and walked over to Meg. Both women turned their gazes onto Anna's sleeping form.

"Rough night?" Meg asked.

"Nothing too bad. I reviewed the camera's footage and it would seem that Vanellope decided to give her a run for her money," the blonde replied.

Meg chuckled.

"Poor kid. What'd she say about the disappearing act?"

"She hasn't said a word. No notes, no reports or write-ups. Nothing," Mirage stated.

"You mean I have grandma out there breathing down my back about paperwork and short-stack over there didn't even leave a sticky note about Baroness Boogerface's little magic trick?"

Mirage cocked her head and green eyes regarded violet ones.

"As I'm told, and I am told, you haven't handed in any papers in weeks," she replied.

Meg's shoulders slumped. It was like she just couldn't win today. She quickly regained her composure and casted a sideways glance at Anna. That poor girl really was beat.

"What're you going to do about sleeping beauty?" Meg asked, pointing over to the snoozing young nurse.

"I'd say let her sleep, but it's an utter madhouse during the day."

Meg shrugged. "She's got to get used to it sometime.

"Today is not that day. Be a dear and wake her up while I go have a word with Amelia."

A smirk crept its way onto Meg's face.

"Time for the weekly report already? I'm sure that'll be fun," she teased. Meg knew that Mirage detested her weekly meeting with the abrasive

Mirage didn't bother to answer, and merely scoffed instead. The blonde walked out of the room and left Meg to her devices. Faced with her task at the moment, Meg focused on the sleeping girl. The redhead was still out like a light and there was no sign of her waking up anytime soon. The slender woman lightly bit her knuckle as she thought of how to wake the girl up. She didn't want to be cruel, so throwing water on her was a no.

_What to do, what to do_?

A light bulb went off in her head. She silently slipped over to the young redheaded nurse and loomed over her. Using her middle finger and thumb, the older nurse pinched Anna's nose, closed. A few moments later, realizing she couldn't breathe, Anna's mouth opened slightly. Meg wasn't deterred and used her free hand to hold the girl's mouth shut. Unable to breath from either orifice, Anna jerked out of her sleep.

"Wha? What's going on?" The redhead questioned, swinging at the air.

"Whoa, easy there tiger," Meg replied, holding her hands up in mock defeat.

Anna rubbed her eyes, trying to regain some sort of composure. _Did I fall asleep…at work?_ The young nurse looked around the room she was currently in. _Yep, I fell asleep at work._

"How long have I been here, what time is it?" Anna asked with a yawn.

"It's about…four in the afternoon."

"What?!" She shrieked.

Meg couldn't stifle her amusement. The violet-eyed nurse burst into a fit of laughter. "Settle down short-stack, it's still morning."

Anna let out a breath she wasn't aware she'd been holding. She looked down at herself and finally noticed the blanket that was draped on her.

"Is this yours?" She asked.

"No, I believe it belongs to Mirage. She's the one that found you this way." The slender woman replied.

"Oh no, she saw me like this too?" Panic was evident in Anna's voice.

Meg nodded. "Yep, but don't worry. Professional image gets checked at the kitchen door. Once you walk in here its sanctuary."

Anna nodded. She seemed to understand, however, she was still slightly embarrassed.

"Where is Mirage anyway? I wanted to ask her about something."

The auburn-haired woman froze for a moment, but quickly righted herself.

"She's having her weekly meeting with Amelia. I doubt she'll be around for a while," Meg replied.

"Oh…alright. Well, I guess I should get going. My bed is screaming my name," she stated.

Anna stood up and stretched out like a lazy cat. She folded the blanket she'd been using and placed it on the chair. The young nurse went to the lockers and retrieved her belongings. Meg watched on in silence. Anna then made her way over to the door, she turned to look at Meg before leaving.

"If you can, will you let Mirage know I asked for her?"

"You got it gingersnap," Meg replied, giving a playful salute.

With that Anna walked out of the room.

* * *

**Amelia's Office**

Amelia sat back in her chair. She stared straight ahead at a monitor in front of her. Hard greenish-yellow eyes focused intently. On the monitor was the camera footage from earlier that morning. She'd heard that their newest employee had an… interesting run in with one of the residents.

The footage was clear as day. Anna took the young girl by the arm then the girl disappears and reappears. The video rewinds and plays again.

"Vanellope Von Schweetz."

The red-haired woman swiveled around in her seat. Mirage stood in the doorway. The blonde stepped further into the office and closed the door behind herself. Amelia motioned to the door, mimic locking it. The nurse understood and followed direction.

"Vanellope Von Schweetz, I'm aware who she is," Amelia stated calmly.

Mirage began walking over to the warden's desk. Amelia turned around and began to replay the footage she'd previously been watching.

"She figured out how to control her glitch…temporarily. We've got to reinforce her room and door somehow."

"What did Ms. Andersen say…about our young resident's little display?" The redheaded woman asked.

A tanned hand slipped into Amelia's and removed the remote. The warden's expression didn't falter. Mirage fast-forwarded the recording. When she was satisfied, Mirage let the footage play. On the screen was the tail end of Anna's and Vanellope's interaction.

"She walked Vanellope back to her room, hand in hand. No fussing, no fighting, no questions. Anna wanted the girl to be comfortable," the blonde stated.

"What is your opinion?" Amelia questioned.

"Warden?"

"Ms. Andersen, what is your opinion? Do you think she's ready?" the red head asked.

Mirage smiled. "Of course I do…I hired her didn't I?"

* * *

**Oh, if you're wondering about Meg's last name, its pronounced "vuh-LAIR-is". I looked up greek last names and found that one had the right amount of syllables and it literally means secretary…I don't know why that's relevant, but it felt right.**

**Thanks for reading guys!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Anna's Apartment**

"Anna…hey Anna!"

Anna shot up out of bed at the sound of her name, she looked around her room but it was empty. There was a knock at her bedroom door before it slowly cracked open. It was Kristoff, poking his head into the room. It was the redhead's day off and she had every intention of spending it in bed.

Anna couldn't keep her eyes open long enough to focus. Kristoff smiled and stepped further into the room. "You had a phone call."

The redhead forced one eye open to look at her friend. "I whuh?"

"A phone call… from your job. That place you go everyday where they give you money for being there?"

Anna just couldn't comprehend. She mulled the information around in her head before she understood. It hit her like a ton of bricks.

"My job! What'd they say, what happened?" She asked frantically.

"Easy, settle down. I took a message. I left it out on the kitchen counter for you," replied the blonde.

The redhead scrambled out of bed and ran out of the room like a shot. Kristoff chuckled at her actions and followed suit.

Anna slid into the kitchen with the precision of a baseball player. Missing the counter completely, she slammed into the refrigerator. "_At least it broke my fall" _she thought with a grumble_. _As she reached up onto the counter to pull herself to her feet, she looked around for the message Kristoff took for her.

Spotting the paper, she snatched it and scanned it quickly.

"They want me to come in later today for a meeting."

The blonde leaned against the wall opposite his roommate.

"You think they're gonna can you?" He asked.

"I hope not…I mean, I haven't done anything to warrant it," she stated firmly.

Kristoff went to stand next to Anna. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, trying to ease her nerves.

"I'm sure it's nothing. They probably want to give you a review or brief you on new policies or something. Don't worry so much."

The young woman regarded her friend with nervous turquoise eyes. He gave her a bright smile before scooping her up into a huge bear hug. Anna couldn't help but to laugh uncontrollably. _He always knows how to cheer me up._

* * *

**Walter Elias Psychiatric Center**

**Therapist's Office/ Hallway**

Elsa sat perfectly still. Her posture was immaculate; she didn't slouch in the slightest. Icy blue eyes were staring straight ahead; attentive, but unamused. This had become her routine every time she was in this room. She would sit perfectly still and her face wouldn't betray any thoughts or ideas she may've had.

A loud sigh let out, breaking the silence of the room.

"Really, Ms. Emric, these sessions would go so much better if you actually participated in them."

The blonde didn't respond. She continued to wear her stoic expression and stiff posture as she stared at the person in front of her. Across from her sat Hans, her current therapist.

Hans was a young man, possibly not much older than Elsa. The doctor had short red hair and thick, noticeable sideburns. His red hair was complimented by his bright green eyes. By society's standards, he was a fairly attractive man, and seemingly charming. Elsa would not bring herself to cooperate with him.

The doctor tried again. "This is our fifth session since I've started here with the institute and you still won't speak to me."

Elsa remained silent.

The redheaded doctor pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration and let out an exasperated sigh. It would seem that the session would go like all the other ones: uneventful.

There was a small knock at the door. As if on cue, Hans's watch went off signaling the end to the session. The office door cracked open and Mirage stepped inside.

"Are you-," Mirage began.

Elsa abruptly stood up and made a beeline for the door. She slipped past Mirage and walked out into the hall. The nurse moved aside, allowing the younger girl to exit then cast a glance towards the frustrated doctor.

"I'm to assume the session was…unsuccessful?"

"She still won't speak to me. At this rate, she's going to need another therapist," he replied curtly.

Mirage nodded at the information then exited the office, closing the door behind herself. In the hall, Elsa stood across from the older blonde, her arms folded tightly across her chest.

"Must you be so difficult?"

"I'm not going to speak to him…," she stated firmly.

Both women began to walk down the hallway.

"What do you hope to achieve? If you don't show progress, then nothing changes."

"That man does **NOT** have my best interests in mind and you know it. He doesn't care about me," Elsa snapped.

Mirage was becoming frustrated. The girl could be absolutely maddening. They began their descent down the stairs, heading for the main floor. The conversation continued at a whisper.

"If you talk to him, then the hospital has something to work with. You'd have a chance –"

Elsa cut her off. "A chance at what? Possibly leaving? Possibly, as in, not guaranteed. We both know if I wanted to leave then I'd leave."

Once they hit the ground floor, Mirage backed Elsa up against the wall. The older blonde leaned in very close, making sure her words would be heard.

"Then leave… go ahead, like you said, nothing can will stop you. Go on and leave and who knows, maybe you'll be back in a month, maybe two, maybe never. Leave, but if you do, you know you're not really free."

Mirage leaned back and stared down at the girl in front of her. Ice blue eyes were glaring back at her. She expected no less, her words were sharp, they resonated and she knew it. Elsa pushed past the older woman and walked off.

"Should I go after her?"

Dash stood at Mirage's side. As per his usual method of approach, the orderly had simply appeared out of thin air.

"No. She's going to her room. Let her be," was the calm reply.

The young blonde shrugged his shoulders and just as fast as he appeared, he was gone. Mirage looked around and spotted another employee.

"Meg, a moment of your time?"

The auburn-haired nurse approached her boss and stood before her.

"You summoned?" She deadpanned.

The older woman let out another sigh. "Have you seen Anna yet?"

"Can't say that I have. Her presence isn't something you overlook."

Mirage smiled at the remark. There was absolute truth in the statement. In the short span of her employment, Anna had definitely made her presence known, even if by accident.

"If you see her, let her know I'm expecting her in Amelia's office."

"Oh, two times in one week? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you and old iron sides actually like each other," the slender nurse quipped.

"Not likely. I'd sooner impale myself than voluntarily spend time with that…woman,"

An auburn eyebrow raised at that remark. "Uh-huh. Are you trying to convince me, or yourself?"

Mirage's face reddened at Meg's question. Before she could answer, Anna strolled through the front door.

"Well, speak of the devil."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Am I late? I woke up late and I rushed out of the house and -," Anna began to stammer.

The blonde nurse placed her hands on Anna's shoulders, trying to settle her. The girl was completely flustered.

"Relax, you're actually right on time. You have some time, would you like to walk with me?"

Anna nodded and the pair walked off, leaving Meg to her own devices.

The slender nurse's shoulders slumped. She was looking forward to ribbing the young redhead. Maybe she could find Dash and hassle him…no, it wouldn't be the same. Perhaps she could actually file her paperwork for once. As these thoughts danced around, a pale heavyset woman ran through the foyer, giggling like mad. Meg sighed as she turned her attention to the situation at hand.

"Ok, who's responsible for Amy?" She shouted.

Dash raced through the scene. "I got her!"

"Great, now we've got an insane geneticist running loose…what else could go wrong?"

Meg began to walk away, when Vanellope phased into the foyer. Of course that would happen.

"We really need to get a better handle on the glitch sitch," Meg muttered.

Vanellope looked over her shoulder and spotted the auburn-haired woman. The young girl gave her a cheeky grin as she was approached.

"Alright kid, fun time's over. Let's get you to the kitchen for lunch."

"I was being impatient! It's no fun being cooped up all day," whined the young resident.

Meg chuckled as she ushered the young girl down the hallway. The girl excitedly jumped around as they walked.

* * *

**Amelia's Office**

The walk to the office seemed extremely long. The air felt thick and Anna was nervous. She wasn't sure why she was being summoned. With every step she took, panic began to sink in. The young nurse took a deep breath and tried to collect her thoughts. She felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped slightly at the contact.

"Hey…don't look so nervous." Mirage gave her a reassuring smile and they came to a stop at an office door.

Anna returned the smile. The older nurse reached out for the doorknob and glanced at her young counterpart one more time. She pushed the door open and stepped aside to allow Anna to enter.

* * *

**A/N: Hey guys! I'm so very sorry about the late late, incredibly late update. Just a quick update, I just moved from Pennsylvania to California, so I've been very preoccupied with that. I'm going to try to update weekly for you guys, but things are still a little hectic at the moment. I haven't forgotten about the story or abandoned it! Hopefully this chapter is enough to tie you all over until I can get back into the swing of life.**

**Namaste'**

**-Kip(py)**


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